Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Crowds of people on Váci utca, Central Pest's main shopping street
Things to Avoid
!
Pickpockets
men may appear friendly,
but alas, they are not.
Refrain from joining them
for a drink, even if they
insist. They are “con-
sumption girls , employed
by bars to bring in foreign
men to buy them drinks,
which can cost as much
as Ft25,000. Though many
such bars were closed by
the authorities, the prac-
tice continues. Check
how much you're paying
for a drink, and be wary
of instant female friends.
“tourist menu” sign
outside, and be wary of
eating anything cooked
by street vendors.
Tourists are the
easiest targets for petty
thieves. Public transport,
especially buses and
metros that ferry visitors
to and from the railway
stations, is notorious for
pickpockets. Take extra
care in crowded areas
such as the Castle District
and Váci utca. Never carry
your passport - a copy
will sufice - and carry as
little cash as possible.
@
Unscrupulous
*
Credit Card Fraud
Beware of handing
over your credit card in a
crowded restaurant. Some
waiters have a palm-top
swipe machine that can
duplicate your card. Bar
owners know this, and
try their best to curtail
the activity. When paying
by card, always accom-
pany the waiter to the
cash desk. Nobody will
be offended, as honest
staff know why you are
doing it
(see p108)
.
(
Passport “Police”
%
Getting Lost
Taxi Drivers
Never get into a taxi that
doesn't clearly state the
company it belongs to, or
which does not display its
tariffs on the driver's door.
Always ask for an esti-
mate of the cost before
getting in. Avoid taxis that
lurk outside stations, as
they are very expensive.
While it's unlikely
you will lose your way in
Budapest, note that many
streets have similar
names. Most famous
Hungarians have plazas
(tér)
, streets
(utca)
and
avenues
(út)
named after
them. Ensure you know
which one you're looking
for. Many visitors con-
fuse Váci utca, the street
in the centre of town,
with Váci út, the avenue
north of the city centre.
^
Dog Mess
Another scam takes
place while you're walk-
ing down a street. Some-
one stops you, and at
once a “plainclothes
policeman” arrests you
for transacting an illegal
cash deal with the man.
They then ask for your
passport and money, but
don't hand anything over
as you'll never meet a
plainclothes police oficer
in Budapest. Walk away
or shout “Police” if your
way is blocked.
)
Over-Friendly
£
Keleti Station
at Night
If you need to take a
train from Keleti Station,
note that it gets rather
quiet at night. It's a fav-
ourite hang-out for slightly
dodgy characters, and
although crime is rare, it
is an unnerving place for
single travellers. It is
best to wait for your train
in the McDonalds or
Pizza Hut across the road.
Use only the main front
entrance and avoid the
underground walkways.
Budapest's citizens
love dogs, but aren't very
careful about cleaning up
after them. Authorities
appear to have given up
on the problem, so you
should watch your step.
Men at the Baths
Some of Budapest's
baths are used by gay
men to pick up partners.
Single men are often
approached by locals,
who engage you in
conversation. A polite
“no thanks” will usually
do the trick.
&
Food Poisoning
Cases of lethal food
poisoning are rare, but
mild cases are surpris-
ingly common, especially
in less hygienic restau-
rants. As a rule, avoid
any place that has the
$
Girls on Váci Utca
Attractive blondes on
Váci utca who introduce
themselves to single
106
